


Freddie's Secret

by SzonKlin



Series: Family Secrets [1]
Category: The Halcyon (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, mentions of period-typical homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-24 16:19:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14957964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SzonKlin/pseuds/SzonKlin
Summary: My take on how Freddie finds out





	Freddie's Secret

“I wish you’d stop Betsey from teasing Graham every time he is here.”

Emma looked up from the registry book she was checking in the lounge, which was fairly quiet just one hour before opening, to look at a very distraught Freddie.

Ever since the war ended, his squad seemed at loss, wandering between bars, getting into and breaking up street fights, hastily getting married and then still spending time with each other instead. After all they were the only people who understood what the others were going through. The glory that awaited the – healthy and rich – soldiers returning from the war was a poor substitute for the excitement and purposefulness of the fight.

Out of the five of them that served in their squad in the end, two married in the last year of the war, while Freddie and Emma were set to marry in December. It was only Graham who hadn’t found a girl, a fact that Betsey never failed to point out whenever she sat down with the men on her breaks.

“You say as though I, or anyone else for that matter, had any control over what Betsey does” Emma laughed. “But you shouldn’t worry about it, and neither should Graham. You know that Betsey lives for the adoration she gets from men, but she doesn’t mean a thing by it. She has no intention of actually being with anyone other than Sonny.”

“Please, try to speak with her anyway. It makes him feel really uncomfortable.”

“Betsey might be coming on a little hard sometimes, but she isn’t that bad” Emma tried to defend her friend.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… Graham just doesn’t like it when people draw attention to the fact that he has no woman in her life.”

“Okay, I can try. But I don’t make any promises. However now that the war is over, it would do him good to make a little effort. I’m sure there are many decent girls who would be happy to make the acquaintance of a handsome RAF pilot. And it must be lonely for him when you all return to your wives and fiancées.”

“It isn’t exactly like that either. He isn’t lonely. He just doesn’t want a wife”

“Maybe not now. Sometimes it is like you still expect to be called back to your posts. But the war is over, and sooner or later when he realizes, he will want to move on with his life.”

“But not like that. The thing is…” Freddie trailed off, looking at his signet ring.

“What? You can tell me. Is something wrong with him?”

“No!” Freddie almost shouted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Only, he is different. But that isn’t wrong. Only unusual. I guess I can tell you, but you can’t tell anyone else, especially not Betsey. Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

“Everyone knows in the squad. We risked our life for each other too many times to still keep secrets. And I’m sure Singh’s wife knows. Probably Smith’s as well.” Freddie drew a deep breath and looked in Emma’s eyes. “What you need to understand about Graham is that he is great guy. Saved my life more times than I can count. Never gave me a reason not to trust him completely. He was probably the most orderly in our squad, always being on time, every bit of his uniform in its place, his equipment and plane always tidy and looked after. But he is funny, not at all stuck-up.”

“I’m sure he is great” Emma interrupted encouragingly.

“Good. It is really important that you understand that. I wouldn’t want you to think anything bad of him.”

“I won’t. I like him”

“Because the truth is that he will never change his mind. He will never want a wife. He already has someone special in his life and that special someone is a man. Graham is homosexual.”

“What?”

Emma and Freddie both jumped from their seats, staring terrified at the intruder. Freddie was the first to react.

“Toby! How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough. What do you mean Graham is homosexual?”

“I… I mean… You know what it means…” Freddie started out, fumbling with his words but then something flashed behind his eyes and he straightened his back as a familiar feeling washed over him. One of his mates was in trouble and he had to protect him. “You weren’t supposed to hear that. But since you did, I might as well explain. Graham likes other man, more specifically – for the past two years – one man who has been his partner. It isn’t like those ridiculous stories you can read in the gossip columns of the papers. He is a decent guy, he never attacked us or did any such things. He is in love with someone the same way I am with Emma and it is obvious to anyone who has seen them together that their love is just as pure as a love between a man and a woman. So, you might have your opinion of it, but it is wrong, and you are not to say anything about this to anyone. He could be in big trouble that he doesn’t deserve if this got out and I would hate it if I knew that I was the cause of it.”

“No, you are right, he doesn’t deserve that. But...” Toby paused to look around. When he spotted Adil at the bar, he waved him over. “But I’ve imagined this scene many times, but never did it start with you defending homosexual people.”

“What scene?” Freddie was interrupted by the arrival of the barman.

“Good evening, Lord Hamilton. What can I get you?”

“Freddie, this is Adil” Toby said before Freddie could respond.

“I believe I can be trusted to know the name of someone who has been working at our hotel for almost a decade.”

“Adil” Toby continued, unfazed by his brother’s remark “my brother was just telling me about Graham being homosexual.”

“Toby!” Emma gasped the same time as Freddie jumped up and shouted. His face was white with shock and for a second, he didn’t know how to react. He just wanted to save his friend the embarrassment of being constantly hit on by the lounge singer and now it seemed everything was going downhill. At best, there would be blackmail. At worst, prison. And it would be his fault. But before he could decide how to act, Toby continued.

“It’s alright, Freddie. Adil wouldn’t want to harm Graham any more than I do. And I have no secrets from him. He has been my lover since the beginning of the war.”

Freddie fell back down on his seat. “I need a drink” He murmured. He felt like he was caught between German planes and friendly fire. The past five minutes held more emotional changes than the five weeks since the war.

As he didn’t direct his request at Mr. Joshi in particular, Adil decided not to take it as an order and stayed at the table to explain.

“While Mr. Hamilton shouldn’t be discussing it in such a public setting” he said, glaring at Toby, “he is right. I’ve had my suspicions about Mr. Graham. We discussed it with Mr. Hamilton, but we weren’t going to say anything to anyone and that’s not going to change. You have my word on that.”

“Thank you, Mr. Joshi – Adil” Freddie corrected himself after a moment. “Now about those drinks…”

“Freddie!” It was Toby’ turn to act indignant, but Adil quieted him down with a smile and went of to get a round of drinks.

Emma finally managed to get her bearings after this onslaught of information and proceeded to hug Toby. “I’m so happy for you” she said. “I was beginning to worry about you, being all alone in the world and I’m glad that is not the case. I admit I’m a bit confused. I don’t know much about ho- people like that and I’m beginning to think that what little I knew was wrong. I can’t pretend that I understand it, but I know I love you and if you say Adil makes you happy, then I will try to accept it. And Graham as well” she added, turning to Freddie. “And of course, I will keep your secrets.”

“I have good news for you on that account” Toby said, a new kind of happiness glinting in his eyes. He never even realized how much he missed the times when they were kids and the three of them shared everything. It was nice to be honest with his oldest friends again. “Betsey and Sonny already know about Adil and me, you don’t have to keep it from her.”

“Thank you!”

“Does anyone else know? Mother?”

“Hah, that would be the day” Toby laughed.

***

Lady Priscilla watched through the glass doors as his sons laughed together and it warmed her heart. She never would have admitted, but she longed to sit in their little circle. When she was younger, she thought that she could have the nannies take care of her sons and still be part of their lives once they grew up. She realized she was wrong when they left home to study. She tried to push herself into their lives when they moved home after their father’s death but she knew that there was a part of them they might never share.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t watching them. She liked to try to imagine what they were talking about. That afternoon, she was fairly certain that Toby had shared a secret with Freddie and Emma and she was also quite sure of what that secret was. But this was one thing she wasn’t going to push for. She would wait for her son to come to her.

Until then, on the off-chance that she was wrong, she was going to keep trying to find a wife for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea of Lady Hamilton loving her sons far more than what she manages to show. What is your take on her as a mother?  
> Tell me in the comments or find me on tumblr at szonklin.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the idea of Lady Hamilton loving her sons far more than what she manages to show. What is your take on her as a mother?  
> Tell me in the comments or find me on tumblr at szonklin.tumblr.com


End file.
